Lamont, In Bridgeport, Touts New East Side Project, Housing Permits

Governor Ned Lamont visited Bridgeport Friday morning to highlight new data from the United States Census Bureau showing that Connecticut leads the nation in growth of new housing permits. The announcement was made during a news conference at Waltersville Commons alongside Seila Mosquera-Bruno, local officials, housing advocates, and Bridgeport property owner Juan Hernandez.

Mosquera-Bruno said the new data shows Connecticut is making progress in addressing the state’s housing shortage.

“Connecticut is leading the nation in housing permit growth,” Mosquera-Bruno said. “That is an important signal that our state is moving in the right direction when it comes to addressing our housing needs.”

Bridgeport property owner Juan Hernandez also spoke during the event, sharing the long personal history behind the project at Waltersville Commons. Hernandez said he has been thinking about developing housing in the area for decades.

“I’ve been planning this project since 1962,” Hernandez said. “This building here was my first job back in 1964. I kept looking at the outside window and saying someday that block is going to be mine and someday I’m going to put housing here for the people of Bridgeport.”

Lamont said the increase in housing permits reflects strong demand for living in Connecticut, noting the state has issued significantly more permits than some neighboring states.

“Connecticut led the nation in new housing permits. That’s a big deal,” Lamont said. “It’s about twice as much as Massachusetts and about three times more than New York.”

The governor said increasing the housing supply is one of the most important steps toward improving affordability.

“When we talk about affordability, the biggest factor is often the price of housing,” Lamont said. “More housing will bring down the cost. More affordable housing and more supportive housing will bring down the cost.”

State officials said Connecticut has issued more new building permits this year than it has in roughly the past two decades. Lamont said the state is also working to speed up the permitting process and expand housing subsidies to encourage more development.

During the news conference, Mosquera-Bruno explained that housing is generally considered affordable when residents spend about 30 percent of their income on rent or housing costs.

“Affordable housing is when someone can pay their rent with about 30 percent of their income,” she said.

Lamont also pointed to migration into Connecticut as one of the reasons demand for housing remains strong. He said many people began moving into the state after the COVID-19 pandemic and that trend has continued.

“People want to be here,” Lamont said. “Developers recognize that there has been overbuilding in some parts of the country, but not here. We still have some catching up to do.”

State officials said their goal is to continue increasing housing options across Connecticut while ensuring cities like Bridgeport remain affordable places for future generations.

“We’re doing everything we can to make sure your kids and grandkids can call Bridgeport home,” Lamont said.